This invention relates to telescoping masts for radio antennas, flood lights and the like. In another respect the invention pertains to portable telescoping masts that are specially adapted for quick and reliable operation under extreme environmental conditions. In yet another respect the invention relates to such portable masts, which can be extended, used, and retracted with improved convenience and safety.
Telescoping masts have been widely employed for radio antennas, lights and a variety of other fixtures. Such masts have been operated by a variety of mechanism, including winches, hydraulic systems and the like. More recently, telescoping masts have been devised which use an axial screw mechanism for raising and lowering the mast sections. For example, an axial screw operated mast is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,156. Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,390, assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
When telescoping masts are used under extreme environmental conditions and particularly in military or other portable operations, it is highly desirable that the masts be ruggedly constructed and be extremely fast, reliable, and safe to operate. In such portable masts, especially those extended and retracted using axial screw mechanisms such as masts constructed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,390, it is particularly important that the sections are capable of being reliably extended and retracted without twisting or binding so that the mast can be extended to the full desired height and the possibility of accidents and injuries due to one or more of the mast sections failing to extend or retract properly is minimized.
Therefore, there is a need for a new extruded mast system and method for manufacturing such a system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.